


A Scattering Howl

by junko



Series: Scatter and Howl [33]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Canon-Typical Violence, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 06:37:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4777241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Renji scrambles to cover his brother's blunder, he receives quite the shock from the Kuchiki heir, Shinobu.  Meanwhile, Byakuya is comforted by Senbonzakura's song, until the night takes a dark, unexpected turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Scattering Howl

After Seichi’s remark, an awkward silence hung in the air. 

To keep himself from publicly murdering his brother, Renji balled up huge fistsfull of his hakama silk. The heir, Shinobu, looked in danger of fainting, his face as white as a sheet. The only oblivious one was Seichi, who noisily munched on turnip and cabbage tsukemono. 

When Seichi tipped back a bowl of sake, Renji suddenly had an idea. Grabbing Seichi’s collar, Renji bowed low, dragging Seichi down with him. His own nose nearly touched the plate in front of him, but he happily slammed Seichi’s face onto the low table. “Please excuse my brother,” Renji snarled. “He’s drunk.”

“I _am_ not--” Seichi started, trying to pull up out of the bow. 

Renji slammed him back down again so hard the table rattled. “Really, really drunk. I’m going to take him home now, in fact. So sorry. Million pardons and all that.” Using his best Eleventh Division maneuvers, Renji pulled Seichi to his feet and began to haul him towards the door.

“I haven’t finished eating.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Renji hissed, pushing Seichi out ahead of him over the threshold. With a lot of quick bows, Renji slid the door closed so quickly it rattled on its track. Taking Seichi by the back of the neck, Renji jerked him in the direction of the stairs and the back door. “You don’t get to eat when you fucking insult the host’s cousin, you moron!”

“Insult?” Seichi said, his voice sounding more like a whine as he struggled to loosen Renji’s grip. “You know it’s true.”

Behind them, the door whooshed open again and the heir’s voice called out, “Stop! I want to understand this accusation.”

Renji growled, but obediently stopped in his tracks. He took a steadying breath and snarled to Seichi, “I will beat the shit out of you if you say anything, you understand, you little toe rag?”

Seichi nodded like he understood, but Renji was really tempted to push him face first into the nearest wall just to be sure. He didn’t. Instead, he turned around. “Let me take my brother home first, then we can talk about it, okay?”

But, just Renji’s luck, Shinobu decided to pull rank. “Acting Captain Abarai, if your brother is unwell enough to take himself Eishirō can arrange a bodyguard to take him home. I would have you explain this insult to us immediately.”

There wasn’t anything for Renji to do. At least the heir seemed to understand the wisdom of not having Seichi part of the conversation. So, Renji let Seichi go, and then bowed, “Yes, sir.” When he came back up he glared at Seichi. “You,” Renji snarled, jabbing a finger into Seichi’s chest, “Stop fucking up my life. Go to the kitchen and wait for an escort. Or, take yourself the fuck home, I don’t care. Just get the hell out of here. Now.” 

For once in his stupid life, Seichi seemed to understand. With a little yelp when Renji pushed him, he scampered off, down the stairs, towards the kitchen and the servant’s exit. Watching him go, Renji thought hotly: _you’d better run, because when I next catch you, I’m gonna pound you senseless._

What haunted Renji almost more than the rape comment was Seichi’s last little throwaway line about how Byakuya was _‘among murderers and thieves like us…’_

‘Like us,’ Seichi had said. Had that been some kind of confession? Because, they’d just been talking about Renji’s history with thievery, so Seichi could’ve meant himself as the murderer. Maybe it had been just one of those things you say, you know, like ‘us criminal types,’ but Renji never forgot that Seichi had been arrested for his part in the murder of the Eleventh Seat, Fujimoto. That crime was still unsolved; Seichi had gone unpunished for it, because no one could get him to admit it, despite all the tortures they concocted in the Second for him.

Now Renji was going to have to decide if Seichi’s little slip-up was enough to count as a real confession, and, if so, did he pretend he hadn’t noticed... or report it to Soi Fon? Telling her would certainly get Seichi arrested again. It could also lead to Seichi being summarily executed. 

On the other hand, at this very moment, Renji was feeling a lot more predisposed towards his own troops and the memory of Fujimoto than he was his rotten, good-for-nothing embarrassment of a sibling.

With a breath, Renji squared his shoulders and went back to where the heir waited for him. He stomped past where Shinobu held the door open and sank down in his spot at the table. Shinobu took a bit more time to resettle, arranging the folds of his purple and gold kimono before setting his clasped hands on his knees and saying, “Alright then, Acting-Captain. Let’s have it. Why would your brother imply something so foul about our cousin?”

Tugging his ear, Renji tried to decide what he should say. “Well, it’s complicated. You see, things were rough between us when Byakuya and I started out,” he said. He didn’t mention that there were times when the word ‘rape’ might have been appropriate, because, well, that was between him and Byakuya. “Anyways, none of that was helped by the fact that your cousin has a bondage and dominance kink. Eventually, we worked things out, but, well, bruises get misinterpreted.”

Shinobu looked a bit like Renji had socked him in the gut. He sucked in a ragged breath and asked, “A… bondage what?”

How old was this kid? Maybe Renji shouldn’t’ve said anything. “Uh.. kink? You know like a sexual--”

Raising his hand, Shinobu stopped him. “Yes, I see. That is, I believe I understand what you mean. Our cousin likes to... hurt you?”

“Kinda? A little bit, but not for serious. Mostly it’s the tying up that he seems to get off… uh... “ Renji stopped with a grunt. Did he really need to tell this kid the ins-and-outs of their particular brand of BDSM? “Look, I don’t think that the details are going to be really helpful, do you? I mean, that’s kind of the point. It’s easy to misunderstand.”

“Yes,” Shinobu said unsteadily. “Yes, I imagine so.” Shinobu’s eyes were downcast, staring at his clasped hands in his lap. His cheeks were bright red and his head was bowed and Renji had a full view of the strange kenseikan cap that had bits of curls poking through. Honestly, the thing looked a bit like a seriously bad case of dander or some kind of weird growth. 

Renji felt he should steer the conversation away from thoughts of sexual acts. “Plus, you can tell Seichi is one of those guys who just doesn’t like nobility, can’t you? So, I think he’s kind of generally put off by me and Byakuya together, especially... uh, given our power difference and the fact that I’m usually the… that is, uh… let’s just say I serve _under_ him in more ways than one.”

Oh crap. So much for staying away from sexual images.

“ _Under._ Is that so?” Shinobu glanced up then as though to confirm, so Renji nodded. Renji desperately wanted to add that sometimes they switched things up, but, crap, this kid was no more than fourteen on a good day, and so this was already way more than they probably should be discussing. Shinobu picked up his bowl of tea and sipped it thoughtfully before adding, “What you describe is a very different picture than the one our lady aunt paints.”

 _I bet_ , Renji thought. “Well, it’s not like auntie is our go-to for romantic advice. And, the ins-and-outs of our whole affair is not the sort of thing that normally comes up in polite conversation.” ‘Comes up’? Ugh, why had he said that? Could this be more awkward? “Er, as it were.”

Renji wanted to hide his face in his hands, because that little addition hadn’t helped either. What was this, International Turn Everything Into a Sexual Innuendo Day?

Shinobu grimaced as he caught the double-meaning. “Ah, yes.” he said with a little cough. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that my lady aunt’s assumptions that you’re corrupting our noble cousin might be a little exaggerated.”

Renji thought about making that into yet-another-bawdy joke, but, for some reason the word ‘corrupted’ hit him funny, in an unexpected way. Maybe it was the recent “gift” from dear auntie, Renji’s Soul Record. Though he’d refused to read it, Renji was sure that the record pretty much proved that Renji was a reborn hungry Hollow soul who maybe, just maybe, actually, for real, was corrupting and devouring bits of Byakuya unintentionally every time they were close. 

Feeling his jaw clench, Renji let out a breath to try to push away the feeling of being a dirty parasite. This was what she wanted, anyway. Dear old auntie Massey wanted Renji to hate himself, to feel shame about his past lives. Shit he had no control over.

Well, fuck that.

The only thing that mattered was who he was now, who he chose to become, now that he was reunited with his other half, Zabimaru.

Zabimaru murmured in agreement.

Shinobu seemed to sense the shift in mood. “I suppose that’s a rather sore subject, my apologies,” he said. Then, he took another breath and asked, “Will you be seeing our noble cousin any time soon? Is such a thing allowed?”

Renji nodded. He’d gotten the official paperwork back from the Second Division. Soi Fon had attached a written note saying that Renji had better play by the rules, no more snookering her buffon of a Lieutenant again. But, so long as Renji behaved, a visit could be scheduled. He’d filled out the form and returned it immediately. Now he was just waiting to hear back. “It’s allowed,” Renji explained. “I’m just kind of waiting on the pleasure of the Second Division’s captain. And, between you and me, she doesn’t like me very much. So I’m kind of expecting to be left hanging for a while.”

“Do you think he’d want to see me?”

Renji gave the heir a gentle smile. Prison was no place for a kid like him. “Maybe,” Renji said. “But Byakuya isn’t going to want your pity. You should only go if you’ve got news for him. Speaking of, have you heard from any of your family? Do you think they know what’s happened yet?”

“Oh, I’m certain of it," Shinobu replied, placing his tea bowl heavily on the table "My lady aunt is already on her way.”

#

Byakuya lay awake a long time in the weird semi-darkness of the Maggot’s Nest. Ten had long ago gone off to… freedom, Byakuya supposed. Did the warden not know of Ten’s special gift? She must not, otherwise Byakuya was sure she’d find a way to keep him more securely locked away.

Staring up at the underside of the bunk, Byakuya could hear the strains of Senbonzakura’s song. As pleased as he was by its presence, he wondered how it was possible.

 _We are still in release_ , Senbonzakura softly sang. _When you called; we came closer_.

Ah, yes, of course. Byakuya smiled softly to himself and closed his eyes. Senbonzakura’s song smoothed over the edges of the creaks and moans and shuffling sounds of the Maggot’s Nest to the point that Byakuya thought he might actually be able to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

That was, until he heard a key turn in the cell door.

His eyes flew open, as the door slid back on rusty, creaking tracks. Two of the guards in their distinctive uniforms rushed in, swords drawn. Only just barely in time, Byakuya was able to summon a push of shunpo to get out from under their grabs. Unfortunately, he’d been partly under the blanket, and the ragged cloth caught the edge of his stocking foot and he stumbled out of flash step. He slammed against the far wall, hard. The two turned at the sound of his palms smacking the stone. Blades and the whites of their eyes gleamed in the eerie half-light. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Byakuya demanded.

Instead of answering, they rushed him again. 

Taking up a hakuda stance, Byakuya felt himself shifting into fight mode. All his senses narrowed, his emotions dropping out, until everything slowed down and he could imagine the scene as pieces on a gameboard. 

The first guard came in low and fast. The second hung back, near the open cell door, clearly intending to intercept Byakuya, should he attempt an escape. Automatically, Byakuya raised a hand to summon a kidō blast to knock down the second. He had no idea if he could conjure the energy to do more than push him aside, but the power was already rising. Keeping careful to stay as aimed as possible at the second, distant target, Byakuya sidestepped the first, advancing attacker, his focus on the nerve point on the wrist of the man’s sword arm. 

He timed his shunpo to coincide with the kidō blast. His fingers closed on wrist and he pinched. The sword clattered to the floor. The kidō, however, was too weak or must have missed its intended target as there was no corresponding shout or groan. Byakuya put that concern aside for the moment, and used the heel of his still open palm to punch the first attacker’s adam’s apple. 

A crunch of bone. A solid connection. 

Byakuya released the attacker’s wrist and he dropped with a gurgling sound.

One down. 

When Byakuya straightened up to reassess the situation, his heart dropped. Now there were more guards, somehow, called by some silent signal. Many more. Quickly, his mind recalibrated the battlefield to include the four new opponents. The only advantage Byakuya could see was that he had a wall at his back.

The five assailants took a collective step forward.

Feeling the stone press up against his shoulder blades, Byakuya thought it was also just as unfortunate that he had a wall at his back. 

Damn it, if only he had Senbonzakura. Five or five dozen wouldn’t matter; they would all fall to the zanpakutō's ‘petals.’

Senbonzakura's song grew louder, more insistent. _Coming, my master._

Before Byakuya could wonder how Senbonzakura could possibly penetrate the wall of the Maggot’s Nest, the closest guard rushed him. Calculating the best route, Byakuya shifted into a combination of hakuda and shunpo. Confidence swelled as his speed easily allowed him to slip out of the way…. only to forget that he might not be the only one with that particular skill. As he stepped out, someone else stepped into flash step, and Byakuya found himself seized around the waist.

Just as quickly the other guards pounced. Hands clamped around his wrists forcing both arms up and behind him. His hair was grabbed and his head yanked backwards until his neck screamed. When a sharp blow hit the back of his leg, his knees buckled and he had no choice but to kneel, immobilized.

Byakuya’s heart leaped to his throat. Panic. Never before in his entire life had Byakuya faced such a prospect--to be held still to await… death? A beating? Rape?

He had no idea, no recourse, and no escape.

No. Byakuya refused to accept defeat. If nothing else he would release what spiritual pressure he had until he bled himself dry. Take them out or die trying.

The guard, the one he’d given the slip, turned now to mete out whatever punishment awaited. Death, if his levelled sword was any indication. If he felt any of Byakuya’s reserves as they washed out in waves, he didn’t seem at all slowed down. 

Perhaps this wretched place had robbed Byakuya of even the energy to go out in blaze of glory.

Gods damn it all. Renji would be so mad with him for falling this way, in this place.

Just then, a flash of pink sliced through the air. It cut through the advancing guard’s neck at a speed almost too fast for the eye to track. In fact, the guard didn’t, at first, seem to understand what had happened. But, his evil smile slowly faded. Dropping his sword, he reached to the back of his neck. His hand came away flooded in blood, as the slashed jugular suddenly let loose.

“Wha…?” were his last words as he fell.

The room burst into a shower of cherry blossoms and blood.

#

Renji jumped up, his hand on Zabimaru, ready for a fight. Only… there was no enemy, just the gut-wrenching knowledge that Aunt Masama was on her way even now. To cover his over reaction, Renji bellowed, “And when were you going to tell me this??”

The heir couldn’t look more Kuchiki or affronted. “I have just told you.”

“Well, we have to…” Renji’s panicked shouts trailed off as he realized there really was absolutely nothing to do. Except wait. All anyone could really do was wait for whatever that horrible woman would do when she got here. He felt anxious and helpless all at once. Sinking back to the tatami with a thud, Renji let out defeated, “Fuck.”

#

The grizzly business finished, Senbonzakura collapsed into their sealed state. The weight of the blade felt good in Byakuya’s hand, even as gore sluiced from his face. 

Out of the shadows stepped the warden. Her eyes seemed to glow in the semi-darkness. She had a hard, cold grin, like rigor mortis, on her face. “An unprovoked attack,” she announced. Byakuya nearly agreed with her, until she pointed a shaky finger at Senbonzakura. “Surrender your zanpakutō to be sealed. By my authority as warden of the Maggot’s Nest and Third Seat in the Onmitsukido, I add the lives of these honorable, unseated Gotei soldiers to your sentence. Byakuya Kuchiki, for the murder of these men, you now stand life.”

**Author's Note:**

> Another short, but intense piece.
> 
> I also realize that I neglected, last time, to give credit where credit was due. A big thank you to Josey for loaning me her head canon regarding Byakuya's inner landscape. I added the chains, but the rest of it came out of discussions we've had over the years and her very twisted, wonderful imagination. 
> 
> Apologies for the cliffhanger. I promise not to keep you hanging too long. I was delayed writing this due to an uncustomary dry spell and school starting (for my son, not me). But I should be back on track now. So, fingers crossed, see you next week.


End file.
